GT Columns

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and there’s fun to be had. At the top of the list: The Blues Festival. We spotlighted the big bold fest in last week’s issue, but take note of more fodder.

Beyond that, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer season, or, at least, an appetizer for it, so with that in mind, we roll out our annual Green Issue. You’ll find a bundle of tips and tidbits and other features to inspire you to be a better eco patriot. Interesting to note is the UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund, a unique organization on campus whose work deserves mention.

As we prepare to celebrate this year’s Gay Pride, now the largest annual political gathering in Santa Cruz County, it’s hard to believe that the first marches in the mid-1970s required security to protect the gutsy few out Santa Cruzans who walked down Pacific Avenue.

It was a different time locally and nationally. Locally in the late 1970s, the University enrollment was at just over 5,000, Downtown Santa Cruz was dead after six, the Miss California Pageant would still call Santa Cruz home for another few years, and the Board of Supervisors and City Council had conservative majorities.

This This Saturday, May 28th, 8 pm. 900 High Street, at the First Congregational Church is a concert of violin, oboe and guitar. It’s the Cadenza Passion Concert with conductor Maya Barsacq, whose previous composers, performers and concerts have been revelatory. Streetlight has tickets. See www.scmusic.org.Wednesday is a new moon solar eclipse (partial) at 11 degrees Gemini. The new moon prepares us for the Gemini June full moon Festival of Humanity (15th) where we will invoke the Forces of Reconstruction and distribute Wesak (Will-to-Good) blessings to humanity. The solar eclipse tells us, oh dear, something important and essential soon disappears.

Well ... was it good for you? What a wild day May 14 turned out to be, after all. James Durbin Day turned into something more than that when Mayor Ryan Coonerty presented our American Idol idol with news that 2011 was officially James Durbin year. (Does that mean we all get the day off work every May 14? Thanks Mr. Mayor.) Durbin was also handed a surfboard, instead of a key, to the city—it came emblazoned with an image of his fist raised, rocker style. “There’s one thing I’m gonna need—a teacher,” mused Durbin. “I think I’m about the only person in Santa Cruz who doesn’t surf. I just sing good.” Make that really good.

As we prepare to celebrate this year’s Gay Pride, now the largest annual political gathering in Santa Cruz County, it’s hard to believe that the first marches in the mid-1970s required security to protect the gutsy few out Santa Cruzans who walked down Pacific Avenue.

It was a different time locally and nationally. Locally in the late 1970s, the university enrollment was at just over 5,000, Downtown Santa Cruz was dead after six, the Miss California Pageant would still call Santa Cruz home for another few years, and the board of supervisors and city council had conservative majorities.

Thursday and Friday are the last days of Taurus—Light that transforms and uplifts. Saturday morning Sun enters Gemini—the light of interplay, expressing duality (personality level), later, synthesis (Soul level). Each month a different light (and different task) plays upon Earth. The New Group of World Servers, studying the Ancient Wisdom teachings, using Esoteric Astrology, understands the different lights and tasks to be accomplished. While the task of Taurus is to enlighten and illuminate the mind (Buddha’s Work), Gemini’s work is, by displaying duality, to bring forth the noble wisdom of the Buddha and the Love anchored on Earth 2,000 years ago by the Great World Teacher.

James Durbin. We can’t get you off our minds. Durbin Fever is high, especially this week, as American Idol voters whittle down the competion to the Top Three. More answers will be unveiled Thursday night so read this week’s Durb Watch (below). And stay tuned ... and tune into GTv on goodtimessantacruz.com for our special coverage of a fun outing at Pizza My Heart, where Durbin fans came out to show their support for the popular 22-year-old local singing sensation. (Keep on keeping on, James ... we’re rooting for you.) From music, we move to ... more music. This week’s cover is a kick. Music Editor Jenna Brogan takes us inside local singing organizations—think Glee and stir—and the result proves to be very compelling. For starters, the local talent here never ceases to amaze, but the groups Brogan highlights each have their own unique style and backstory that you may find even more intriguing. Dive into the fun beginning on page 14. And from Music, we head right into some film business. The Santa Cruz Film Festival comes to a close this weekend and the excitement is still high. The closing night film by director Rocky Romano, Ruffo, plays at 7:30 p.m. at The Rio. We garnered quite a bit of online response from last week’s cover story on Romano’s doc, which chronicles local surf icon Anthony Ruffo’s life challenges. (See Letters.) Join the convertsation online at goodtimessantacruz.com. And check out all the other film fest details at santacruzfilmfestival.org. There’s more movie madness, particularly an upcoming film event at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19 at the Del Mar Theatre in Downtown Santa Cruz, where there will be a screening of the new documentary The Big Uneasy. The best news? There will be a Q&A with director Harry Shearer afterward. See you there. Thanks for reading. More soon ...

Greg Archer | Editor-in-Chief
Letters to the Editor

Major Metro IssuesYour article on Bus System Blues (GT 5/5) struck a nerve. Driving past Cabrillo College any day during the week, students are waiting for a bus, but now Metro is considering cutting more bus routes to make up for a $3 million shortfall. Meanwhile, our Regional Transportation Commission has authorized spending $22 million to widen Highway 1 for less that’s a mile between Morrissey and Soquel exits that will move rush-hour traffic exactly that far before it jams again. Use that $22 million to keep the buses running for seven years! Also, we should be concerned about combining a Regional Transportation Commission, whose majority has stated their number one priority is widening the highway, with a Metro Transit District who is fighting to keep public transit functioning. Some of these RTC commissioners would love to get their hands on the Metro District’s half-cent sales tax for their highway widening project that was turned down by the voters in 2004.Paul ElerickCo-Chair, Campaign for Sensible TransportationAptos

Ruffo’s ‘Wild Ride’Regarding last week’s cover story on Anthony Ruffo and the film about him in the Santa Cruz Film Festival, those of us succeeding in recovery all love to hear about someone else doing it. Being an old surfer who'd had a brief, pleasant encounter with Anthony at Huntington, at the pier years ago, I was sad to hear he'd gotten in trouble. Reading this great article gives me just a little more hope for the future of those in similar situations. Addiction to anything is unfortunate. Good on you, Anthony, and good luck with the legal system. You'll survive. Never fear.Hair BrainmanSanta Cruz

Ruffo Is InspiringThe Anthony Ruffo story is an inspiration. I remember Anthony on Cowell's beach 30 years ago and always looked up to him—he was kind of fascinating. I have the utmost respect for anyone who has the balls to confront the power of addiction, admit it and then heal it. It's a very long and painful process. Right on, Anthony. You keep on ... keepin on.J. PothSanta Cruz

Jump On That Durbin TrainRegarding the Best of Santa Cruz issue and James Durbin getting the Best Singer/Performer picture in the Critics’ Picks (GT 4/28), I've been following James for the past two years and I agree with GT that, without a doubt, James is the best of Santa Cruz. I'm very happy for his success and it's fantastic that he can showcase his amazing talent, passion and love for singing on a national stage with American Idol. Remember, everyone, it's up to us to vote every Wednesday night to help James and his family achieve his dream. Go James, go.Lawrence RachleffSanta CruzMemorial Day DeadlinesGood Times offices will be closed Monday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day. Offices will reopen 9 a.m. Tuesday. The following holiday deadlines will be in effect for the June 2 issue:Display and Class Display advertising deadlines will be 4 p.m., Thursday, May 26.Classified advertising deadline will be 11 a.m., Friday, May 27.Editorial Calendar, Music and Events deadlines will be noon, Tuesday, May 24.

Emotions ran high last week when James sang a heartfelt rendition of “Without You,” but they ought to be even higher this week: If Durbin isn’t voted off, and makes the Top Three, then our home boy will come home this weekend for special events on Saturday, May 14. (Check out our updates online.) GTv will be on hand if the events happen, so stay tuned ... In the meantime, seeing that we think he’ll be here and that things will move forward, join us at one of the Idol viewing parties, (Wednesday nights) where we root James on: Pizza My Heart (2180 41st Ave., Capitola). Ideal Bar & Grill (106 Beach St.], Carmona’s Barbecue and Deli (1040 East Lake Ave., Watsonville) and Green Valley Grill (40 Penny Lane, Watsonville). Read our updates online every Thursday and Friday at goodtimessantacruz.com.

This past winter was a big one for the flu; lots of people seemed to get hit who are usually resistant, including me. Fever, aching, fatigue, a cough ... it sucked, and I went through two rounds of it. Then a co-worker said she was starting to feel kind of sick, I started telling her what she should expect, and how much she should rest, and what she should take for it, and ... and then I recognized the look on her face, because it was one I’d been sporting myself.

What she wanted, and what I wanted when I was sick, was a little sympathy. But you don’t get that in this town, you get advice. In much of the world, it's accepted that bad things just happen sometimes, and we should give comfort to one another through the hard times and hope for better. But we're a problem-solving people. And in Santa Cruz, we’ve got more solutions to choose from than anywhere else.

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Best of Santa Cruz 2015

In 40 years of publishing, Good Times has seen a lot of “bests.”

Spring Triangle: Three Spring Festivals—Aries, Taurus, Gemini

The Spring signs Aries, Taurus and Gemini constitute a triangle of force that sets the template for the nine signs that follow and the template for the entire year (Spring 2015 - Spring 2016) ahead.
Aries initiates new ideas, Taurus stabilizes the new thinking of Aries and Gemini takes the initiating stabilized ideas of Aries/Taurus and disperses them to all of humanity. It is in this way that humanity learns new things, with the help of Mercury, the messenger.
As Spring unfolds, three elements emerge: the Fire of Aries (initiating new ideas), the Earth of Taurus (anchoring the ideas of God through Mercury) and the Air of communicating Gemini. These three signs/elements are the Three Spring Festivals. They are the “triangle of force” forming the template (patterns) of energy for the upcoming new year. After these three we then have the soothing, calming, warming, nurturing and tending waters of the mother (Cancer). Cancer initiates our next season under the hot suns of summer. Planets, stars and signs create the Temple of Light directing humanity towards all things new.
March 29 is Palm Sunday, when the Christ, World Teacher, was led into Jerusalem (City of Peace) on a donkey (humility). Palms waving above His head, signified recognition of the Christ’s divinity. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before the Easter (Resurrection Festival). Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, the week of capture, imprisonment, passion, sacrifice, crucifixion, death and resurrection of the christ. All events in the Christ’s life represent events (initiations) that humanity experiences through many lifetimes. We turn our attention to these holy events this week. Their concepts portray and reveal to us greater spiritual understanding. Then, Aries, the “light of life itself” shines through us.

The New Tech Nexus

Community leaders in science and technology unite to form web-based networking program

Spring Spirits

What’s your favorite most recent outdoor discovery in Santa Cruz?

A hike that’s across from Waddell Beach. I didn’t realize you could go across the highway and do a super simple loop, and it’s beautiful. You can see the coastline.
Liz Porter, Santa Cruz, Community Outreach